A Creative Communication blog

Sarah Nash was attending 6th grade when her poem, “Mountain” was selected as a Top Ten Winner in our Spring 2014 national writing contest. Sarah is home-schooled and has four brothers and two sisters.

US history and science are Sarah’s favorite subjects in school. In her free time, she enjoys track and field, soccer, cross country, basketball, and writing poetry.

“My poem was inspired when I was in my room one day, and I was moping around wishing I could go camping with my family.” Sarah explains, “My favorite part of camping is being in the mountains, surrounded by trees and wildlife, so I decided to write a poem about the mountains. I didn’t really think anything of it though. When the Spring 2014 contest came up, I decided to edit it and send it in. I had no idea it would be in the Top Ten!“

Joshua-James was in 6th grade attending White Station Middle School in Tennessee when his essay, “Life, a Wondrous Journey” was selected as a Top Ten Winner in our national writing contest. His parents are Swazoo Claybon, Jr. and Lavonnie Perry Claybon. He has one brother, Swazoo Claybon, III.

Joshua-James enjoys playing in the band, playing competitive soccer for the Mid-South Futbol Club in Memphis, and has been taking piano lesson since he was four years old with Dr. Yukiko Whitehead. He is also an acolyte at St. Paul Episcopal Church in Mason, Tennessee.

Other hobbies Joshua-James enjoys are reading and building things. He hopes to major in Engineering when he goes to college prior to completing dental school. Last summer, Joshua-James attended a Duke TIPS Crisis Biomedical Engineering camp at Washington University in St. Louis.

When asked what inspired his winning essay, Joshua-James explained, “My father…has always told me and my brother to do our best and to not worry about the rest. So, I try to do my best so that life will be a wondrous journey.”

In the future, Joshua-James’ long-term goals include becoming an engineer and a dentist. His short term future goal is to be a great soccer player and continue to write stories and do well in school.